Police seek tips on obese suspect in Ferndale Dunkin' Donuts swindle

Published 12:00 am, Thursday, February 23, 2012

FERNDALE - Police have released photos of an obese suspect they say swindled a Dunkin' Donuts manager out of more than $200 with a fire inspection scam last week.

"We got the photos from a surveillance video camera at the doughnut shop," said Ferndale Police Sgt. Patrick Jones. "We're putting them out to media outlets and hope somebody recognizes him and gives us a tip."

Police the man weighs about 300 pounds and went to the Dunkin' Donuts at 22451 Woodward about 4:30 p.m. last Thursday.

He told a female manager at the store he was from company that services fire equipment.

The man falsely told the manager the shop's fire extinguishers needed to be checked before a city inspection scheduled for the following day, police said.

He looked at three fire extinguishers and gave the manager a bill for $287.35, telling her he could only accept cash, Jones said.

The man said the extinguishers needed to be serviced and removed an old inspection tag from one of them.

The manager told police the man handed her two receipts, probably by mistake. One was for the amount she was charged and the second was for a lesser amount.

Police said the man may have scammed another business before he went to Dunkin' Donuts.

Police said they checked and found that the company the man claimed to work for does not exist.

He is described as white, with brown hair, 5-foot-9 to 6-foot tall, and about 40 to 50 years old.

Anyone with information is asked to call Ferndale Police at (248) 541-3650.